


And it's worth it, it's divine

by whosophia



Category: The Shannara Chronicles (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Minor Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 20:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6581374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whosophia/pseuds/whosophia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>very slightly based on a tumblr prompt: i don't really know you but we have common friends who have the habit of meeting up and leaving us behind, together. i have the feeling they're trying to set us up and no matter how attractive you are i hate when they do that so i'm not talking to you AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	And it's worth it, it's divine

**Author's Note:**

> First Princess-Rover fic (i'm generally Clexa trash).  
> Feedbacks are highly appreciated.
> 
> warning: some swearing and light smut along with mention of abusive past.  
> (title from Cherry Wine's lyrics by Hozier)

Eretria Rover is, not in the slightest, a _people person_. Never been when she was still under her abusive step-father's custody (which, after all, could probably be detected as the main reason at the bottom of the girl's behaviour, to be honest), not now, three years into med school miles apart from that life she'll forever try to erase from her mind and body.

Therefore when her former best friend (what a weird thought being someone _best_ something) asked (okay, ordered) to hang out at Bandon's _welcome back_ party she clearly was thousands of light years from being euphoric about it.

 

Here they are, then. Typical Wil-Eretria lovely back and forth.

“Stop smirking over there, I can sense you, Wil. I'm not coming.” Eretria's frustrated whines are nothing new to Wil after three or so years of friendship ( _knowing each other_ Eretria would call it), he well enough knows she will eventually give in to his “invitation”.

“Yes, you are. Bandon is finally back from London, you gotta join us!”

“I've already texted him earlier today and I'm meeting him for coffee on Thursday, you jerk.” The girl replies, tone more exasperated by the minute.

“Irrelevant. My point is, the whole group will be there...” Unsurprisingly Eretria kind of knows what her friend's about to reveal. “ _Amberle_ will be there.”

“How many times do I have to tell you I am not interested in princess Elessedil? She's just a freaking rich law student. Stop fucking trying to set me up! I swear, you do that every freaking time.”

“She is hot, though.”

“Irrelevant, Ohmsford. She's all rainbow spice and everything nice while I am-” A brief pause. “Well, I am a Rover.”

“For god's sake, Eretria! You two have known each other for what, three years now? I think we can all state pretty confidently that you guys can more than properly stand to be in the same room for a night. You might not be friends but you do _know_ each other in your own weird way. You've talked, more than once. Mostly drunk, yeah, still..”

“True. No need to use such big words, nerd. Doesn't mean we shouldn't avoid the occurrence when possible, though.”

“I'm done fighting with you.” Wil sighs, moving his phone to the other hand. “I'll pick you up at eight sharp. You better be ready.” Then, before giving his best friend any chance to complain he quickly says goodbye and ends the call.

 

 _Damn Wil. Why on earth did I choose_ him _to sit next to on that first day at Ellcrys?!_

It's six in the afternoon already, Eretria worriedly notices, which means she has barely enough time to finish the essay she has been working on the whole afternoon and take a quick shower.

The brunette doesn't even try to convince herself she won't join her friends later; years of bickering have taught her pretty well how useless it is trying to stand against Wil's decisions.

Dramatically sighing the med student types down on her laptop the last sentence before swiftly saving end emailing the paper to her professor.

“Twenty-two past six.” The screen's bar informs her. “For fuck's sake.”

Hissing and mumbling curses Eretria closes the device and stands up from the chair, a satisfied moan escaping her lips as she stretches sore bones above the head, fatigue already abandoning the body.

 

Starting the water the dark-haired girl slowly peels off the comfy shorts and tank top she is wearing before stepping under the way too hot stream, burning exactly as she likes it.

Exhausted because of the tiring afternoon and inebriated by the argan scent of her favourite body wash, Amberle Elessedil pads her way into Eretria's, probably as foggy as the bathroom itself by now, head.

She'd like to affirm how much _this_ surprises her, how weird and confusing thinking about the girl she so often swears she can't bear honestly is.

She cannot, though.

Fact is, Eretria Rover has been crushing on the younger Elessedil since the two of them first met, years back.

_Crushing hard._

Not even realizing it, her own shaking hand is already too eagerly sliding down her bare chest, abdomen, way down along her toned thigh.

Amberle's soft eyes, her high sort of regal cheekbones and plump _so kissable_ lips the one and only thing her brain is able to think of.

_Fuck._

 

Needless to say, Eretria ends up being fairly late and well aware of that when she steps out of the shower about half an hour later, phone buzzing non stop thanks to Will and the group chat he added her to.

“I'm gonna kill him, I swear!” The girl murmurs, still damp locks and only underwear on while in front of the closet.

It's not that she wants to dress up or anything, there will be no one at the bar to impress. Yet, the girl spends a good fifteen minutes trying on basically half of her wardrobe.

Truth is, there is definitely _someone_ Eretria desperately wants to _woo_ tonight. Not that she'd ever admit it.

 

**wil: the carriage is waiting, m'lady**

 

“You're such an idiot!”

“Hello to you too, Rover.”

“Shut up, Ohmsford.” Eretria mockingly replies, playfully slapping her friend's nape.

“You look lovely, tonight. Any special occasion I should be informed of? _Anyone_ to impress?”

_He totally knows._

“Do you ever stop being a jerk? How did you even manage to pass the admission test into med school?!”

“Because, as you should know, I am a young, charming, smart and loveable man.”

“Sure you are. Stop talking bullshit and drive.” Eretria snorts. She'll never say it out loud but she has slowly become deeply fond of the blond-haired guy who's been her companion in so many adventures.

 

 

The drive to the parking lot where the group is supposed to meet is fairly short, much to Eretria's annoyance whose frown perfectly mirrors the girl's inner vexation. Well, half that and half relief because dealing with Wil's mocking self on the phone is a thing, having to stand his _not funny, Ohmsford_ jokes for a whole twenty minutes is a completely different one.

Especially when the boy's mission for the night appears to be embarrassing and pestering an already sulky Eretria with every fiber of his body.

 

“You ready?” Wil asks, finally concerned.

“Dude, I'm okay.” Eretria replies, opening the car door and hopping off.

She is not okay. She definitely is not even close to _okay_.

It's been about a month since she has seen Amberle last; since they had, forcedly, muttered simple and detached word to acknowledge each other's presence. That afternoon at the park neither of them had directly spoken to the other nor tried to initiate any sort of contact. _Hell,_ the gorgeous brunette hadn't even looked in her direction, not even once. Not even by mistake.

Not even when each and every single one of their friends managed to leave the couple alone, by themselves. The longest and most embarrassing seven minutes ever.

It should have not but it had, in fact, pissed Eretria off.

Yeah, that particular one hadn't been one of the med student's best day. Nor Wil's who, poor soul, had to deal with his friend's sullen mood for the rest of the evening. Or, you know, week..

 

Once out of the car the pair easily spots the bunch of college students, beloved Bandon included.

“Here he is, the man of the day!” Wil loudly greets the dark-haired man as the two proceed to tightly hug each other. Wil would never admit so but he had been one of the most affected by Bandon's departure.

“Oh boy, you could have shaved your mane to welcome me back, Wil.” The brand new Londoner replies, shaking his head while brushing his own fingers among his friend's messy hair as proof of evidence.

“That is never going to happen.” The blond retorts, shivers running up his spine at the intimate contact.

“You're so difficult, I swear.”

 

Rolling his eyes, the young man then direct his attention towards the other new addition, a wide grin taking over his whole face, straightaway mirrored by the short brunette and surprising them all.

“Eretria Rover! Are my eyes fooling me?” Fake astonishment not very well hiding the pure joy.

“Yeah Yeah Yeah.” Eretria's annoyed tone, on the other hand, sounds almost real though. Almost. “It's good to see you, Bands.”

Standing on the tips of her toes the girl stretches to hug the boy, so poorly succeeding that Bandon has, in fact, to lift the young woman by the waist to better bear-hug her.

Yes, Eretria Rover has never been a people person but she has grown to appreciate, care for and even love some human beings during the last three years, in college. A fairly restricted number, that is. Still..

 

Everyone seems to already be there. _Everyone._

Allanon is the first to greet the pair with fist bumps as they got accustom to. Silly tradition started as a joke slowly became a _thing_ to the trio. 

Ander, Arion and Lorin, oh the contrary, are probably the ones among the group Eretria has less familiarity with therefore a quick nod it's all they get. Not that anybody minds, by now. They all know the brunette quite good enough not to get offendend by her closeness.

 

A few _what's up?,_ high fives and small talks later there she is.

There

she

fucking

is.

 

Amberle has managed to look even prettier than usual (which is generally breathtaking, already) with tight black jeans that perfectly highlight her b-side and a green tank top showing off enough skin to drive Eretria's thought far far away. _F_ _ocus, Eretria!_

What does it, though, is the leather jacket.

Amberle covered in leather. _Leather!_

 

Wil has to literally nudge Eretria to bring the girl back on Earth because, _ohmygod ohmygod_ , Catania and Amberle are walking straight towards them.

“Hey, guys!” The cheerful blonde breaks the ice.

“Oh. Hi, Cat!” Wil replies, hugging the woman back.

How the two of them managed to become such close friends will forever be a mystery.

“Eretria.” Catania acknowledges the braided girl presence with a sincere smile.

“Catania, hello.”

Is not that Eretria dislikes the young nursing student. On the contrary, Catania is probably one of the few people Eretria actually enjoys hanging out with. Yet again, Amberle is right there, eyes roaming along her very own figure which is driving the shorter brunette utterly crazy.

“Amberle, how are you doing?”

Wil, always the saviour.

“Hey, Wil. Nice to see you.” Amberle greets, smiling wide to her friend.

The two of them hug, then, for a long moment. _A too long moment_.

Not that Eretria is jealous.

“It's been a while.” Wil points out, pouting.

“Well, don't act like it's my fault, jerk. You've been the one playing the hermit.”

“Duh. Med school, remember?”

“Duh. Law school, does it sound familiar to you? We've all had crazy busy days yet we managed to hang out at least every week.”

 

Amberle is beautiful and Eretria is speechless.

 

Too bad the blond-haired man is now directing the attention to his best friend.

“Right, Rover?”

“Pardon?” Eretria manages to speak, shaking her head.

“I was trying to prove a point here! Back me up.” He pleads.

“Sure.” Regaining her composure. “Whatever he says, bullshit.”

The burst of laughter is strong and loud. Amberle's chuckle makes the brunette desire for it to last forever.

 

“Hi.” When Eretria speaks first, she's clearly trying to sound smooth. Unsuccessfully.

“Hi.” The law student nervously murmurs, gaze finally, _finally,_ locked with Eretria's.

 

“O-kay....”

“Yeah. We-”

“We better join the others.”

“Uhm. Yeah. Yes! I think I've seen Marc arriving back there.”

“Yes, Marc. We'll be there, girls.”

“See you later.”

Before the dark-haired couple even realises what's happening, Catania and Wil are already jogging back towards the group of friends who's now happily chatting around Bands' pick-up.

 

“Uhm..” Eretria has probably never been this nervous in her short life. Never.

“Hi.” Although, if Amberle's fiddling with the beautiful necklace around her neck is anything to go by, she would swear the young Elessedil might be equally agitated.

“Hi.”

“How are you doing, Eretria? How's med school?”

“Oh, school is fine. The courses are getting fucking strenuous yet more interesting. I'm always either sank in my books or asleep on a library's table.”

“Well, isn't that the true allure of college?”

“I was hoping for more Netflix and chill but, yeah.”

“You're a jerk.”

From now on, Eretria swears, she'll make every effort to hear the slender brunette's musical laugh as often as possible.

Well, she wishes she could.

“What about your classes, princess?”

_No. Please, no. Please,tell me it was only in my mind._

“Princess?”

_Shit._

“Don't ask.” Eretria quickly dismisses the accident.

“No. I like it.”

 

Amberle's smile is what fucks everything up.

Eretria did try to ignore the funny feeling in the pit of her stomach, the shivers along her spine, the sweaty hands and all. Then this girl smiles and she's a goner.

 

“Oh.”

“Anyway. My semester has been pretty great so far, I can't complain.”

“That's very good.”

“Yeah.”

 

“So.” Eretria speaks again, anxiety slowly dissolving. “Do you feel like we've been set up, again?”

“You know, I was actually thinking about that.”

“Goddamn Ohmsford. Always messing with my life..” Eretria mutters, eyes glued to her own hands.

“Geez, thanks.” Amberle's reply is so sudden, angry, _hurt(?)_ , unexpected. “You know, Rover, I am aware of your enormous dislike towards my person. Hell, how could have I not noticed it?” The girl states, slightly clasping her fists.

“Amb-”

“No. You don't get to talk now.” The taller one orders. “You can ignore and despise me, not give a fuck about me or my life. I don't really care.”

Amberle's gorgeous features are almost unrecognisable now that the irritation has taken over her.

“Amberle.”

“I said _no._ You've been a fucking ice queen since we first met. We exchanged what, ten words tops before tonight? Then, if i'm lucky, you come to me fucking intoxicated and treat me as you fucking _care!_ You don't get to do that.”

“What the fuck does that mean, mh?!”

“Nevermind.”

“No! No damn way!” Something's clicking in Eretria's mind. Her eyes soften, her voice lowers. “Talk to me.”

“I've nothing to tell you."

 _Hurt_ is the key word.

“How on Earth could I despise you, Amberle?” 

Deep, piercing dark irises wander, trying to catch lighter yet currently somber ones.

“Amberle, look at me.” She pleads. “I could never- _fuck._ Never dislike you.”

“You have a peculiar way to show it.”

“So do you.”

“I haven't said I like you.”

“Right. You haven't.”

“Why do you open up to me only when you're drunk?”

“I'm not bold enough to do that sober.”

“I think you're doing just fine, honestly.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. Does this mean the raging Rover has a heart, after all?”

“ _This_ is exactly why I don't easily open up.”

“You're even cuter when you pout.”

“You're nonsensical, princess.”

 

Somehow the two of them had stepped closer than they have ever been.

Amberle's fingers nervously fiddling with the hem of Eretria's top, the braided girl's eyes fixed on the other's green-ish ones, her to die for tiny nose, her lips.

_Oh, are her lips such a piece of art._

 

“I like when you say it.”

“I'm sorry I upset you, Amberle. I truly am.”

“I'm sorry I haven't acted any better.”

“So..”

“Uh?”

“What are we gonna do with those two?” Eretria nods with her head in Wil and Catania's direction.

“We'll never see the end of it.”

“Unless...”

“Unless?”

“Unless we don't give them anything to bug us about.”

“Oh.”

“Princess?”

“No, okay. That's cool.” Amberle hurriedly manages to affirm, already slipping away from the girl's personal space.

“Amberle.”

“Hey, don't worry, everything's fine. You're right.”

 

Eretria Rover has never been a people person probably as much as she has never been an impulsive woman, when it comes to interactions. Yes, she is probably as far away from spontaneous as a rock.

In this exact moment, though, Amberle is soft and beautiful. Amberle's shivering, her eyes anywhere but on her.

Amberle is hurt. This realisation hits Eretria hard, rips her heart open.

_You are an idiot! A freaking, gigantic asshole!_

 

The med student helpless watches as the brunette turns her back and slowly starts walking towards their group of friends. Away from her.

“Princess!” She shouts and Amberle freezes.

 

Eretria will never hear the end of it and she's well aware of that but when Amberle's soft as silk, warm and slightly wet lips, confused and shaky at first meet hers, well, she definitely can't bring herself to care.

Neither she does when the princess' eager hands tug at one of her dark locks, pulling the girl even closer, if any possible, as if they could melt in each other.

 

The supporting cheering jolts them out of their bubble from afar, Wil's whistles louder than voices.

“Fucking finally!”

“It was about time! You two can be so blind.”

“We've made it, guys! Group high-five!”

Their friends shouts, smiling faces and head-shakes.

 

“I totally just signed my own sentence.” Eretria mumbles as she hides the frustrated face is the crook of Amberle's neck.

“Yes you did. Already regretting your actions?” Doubtful and insecure she asks.

“Not in the slightest.” The shorter breathes, placing a gentle kiss right there, on the sensitive skin under the ear.

“Good.”

 

The whole night the new couple had to handle jokes, cheers, congratulations and annoying repetitions of _we've been waiting a lifetime for you to finally get together._

Well, it would have been annoying if, later, in the dark of her own room, Amberle would have not slowly peeled every piece of her clothes with such a reverence and desire to make Eretria completely forget about anything but the two of them, right there and together. And when the princess, _her_ princess, was on the edge of her orgasm, panting while crying Eretria's name out loud, she swore she could have die of happiness, pounding heart and all.

Not that she'll ever admit it.

 

 

Eretria Rover has never been a people person. She is discovering, though, she's pretty good at being an Amberle Elessedil person.

 

**Author's Note:**

> whosophia.tumblr.com


End file.
